NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-21-2025 7AM EST

Episode Date: January 21, 2025

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Americans are living longer than ever before. On the Sunday story from Up First, we look at a growing number of people using these extra years to find new meaning. You get to the point where you start asking, what did you do in your life that was significant? A look at the transformative power of human passion and finding your purpose in the third act of life. Listen now on the Up First podcast from NPR.

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Kuhlman. President Trump has been in office for less than 24 hours and he has already signed scores of executive orders and actions. That includes pardons for about 1,500 people convicted of or accused of participating in the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. NPR's Tom Dreisbach has more. TOM DREISBACH, NPR NEWS, WASHINGTON, Wbach has more. Almost every single defendant got a full unconditional pardon. That means their condition conviction is forgiven. If they're locked up they get released. If they were convicted of a felony they get their gun rights back and that group

includes more than 400 people charged or convicted of violent assaults on law enforcement, driving a stun gun into an officer's necks for example, beating officers with a bat and then just 14 people are getting these commutation so on law enforcement driving a stun gun into an officer's necks, for example, beating officers with a bat. And then just 14 people are getting these commutations. So they still have a felony on the record, but they are getting out of prison. NPR's Tom Dreisbach reporting. Among other orders, Trump has pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accords, approved drilling in the Arctic and declared a national emergency at the southern U.S. border. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports many of the executive actions are in line with Trump's campaign promises.

Trump wasted no time implementing the conservative agenda that he's repeatedly promised. Tim Naftali is a senior research scholar at Columbia University. He says the executive actions are meant to be seen as a major flex of presidential power. It's a very dramatic way of achieving the goal. The first day in power, he would demonstrate his control of the government and be the public's dictator, if you will. That, I think, is the theater that he's seeking. Naftali says how the executive actions will take shape will depend on the nature of the orders.

He says many of them will be met with legal challenges, including the ones that relate to border security and immigration. Windsor-Johnston, NPR News, Washington. One Trump executive action seeks to cancel birthright citizenship, but that is protected by the U.S. Constitution. The ACLU is suing over the issue. Trump has also ordered a review of economic ties with China, but stopped short of imposing fresh tariffs. NPR's John Rewich reports China says it is ready to work with the new Trump administration to promote economic cooperation. Foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jia Kun told a news conference China is ready to strengthen dialogue and communication with the U.S. on economics and trade, which benefit both countries.

And he said he hopes the U.S. will work with China towards shared goals. Guo also suggested that Beijing might be willing to look beyond a potential hurdle to that dialogue. China put sanctions on then Senator Marco Rubio in 2020 in retaliation for U.S. sanctions on Hong Kong officials over human rights. Rubio was confirmed by the Senate on Monday to be Secretary of State. Guo said that while China will safeguard its national interests, it's necessary for high-level

officials from both countries to maintain contact in, quote, an appropriate manner. John Ruech, NPR News, Beijing. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. A blast of Arctic air is layered over the central and eastern U.S. There are extreme cold warnings posted from the Canadian border down to Texas. There are also winter storm warnings from southern Texas all the way to South Carolina. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports the rare winter storm is prompting emergency preparation along the Gulf Coast.

Forecasters predict frigid temperatures and historic snowfall in the Gulf South, five to eight inches in New Orleans, for instance, and up to three inches in Houston and in Mobile, Alabama, places including beaches that almost never get snow. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry has declared a state of emergency. We may have over 48 hours of constant below freezing temperatures, along with extremely cold wind chills, and what could possibly be near record amounts

of snowfall in South Louisiana. This creates a very dangerous situation. He's urging people to avoid travel and prepare for possible water and power outages. Debbie Elliott, NPR News. There are two new wildfires that broke out overnight in Southern California. These are north of San Diego. The Lilac fire has already burned at least 50 acres. The Pala fire has scorched at least 30 acres. Both fires have triggered evacuations.

They're fueled by winds that could gust up to 70 miles per hour today. The winds could also affect two deadly wildfires around Los Angeles that are not yet fully contained. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News from Washington.